THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIUS. 37

them to the sultan, and he will give you more money than you
ever handled in all your life. You may come every day and
fish in this pond, but beware of casting your nets more than
once each day: if you act otherwise, some evil will befall you ;
therefore take care. This is my advice, and if you follow it
exactly you will do well.” Having said this, he struck his foot
against the ground, which opened, and having sunk into it, the
earth closed as before.

The fisherman resolved to observe the advice and instructions
of the Genius in every point, and take care never to throw his
nets a second time. He went back to the town very well satis-
fied with his success, and making a thousand reflections on his
adventure. He went directly and presented his fish at the
sultan’s palace.

The sultan was surprised when he saw the four fish brought
him by the fisherman. He took them one by one, and ob-
served them most attentively; and after admiring them a
long time, he said to his first vizier, “Take these fish and
carry them to that excellent cook which the emperor of the
Greeks sent me; I think they must be equally good as they

“are beautiful.”

The vizier took them, and delivered them himself into the
hands of the cook. “Here are four fish,” said he, “ which have
been presented to the sultan ; he commands you to dress them.”
He then returned to the sultan his master, who desired him to
give the fisherman four hundred pieces of gold ; which he faith-
fully executed. The fisherman, who was never before in posses-
sion of so large a sum of money at once, could not conceal his
joy, and thought it alla dream. He soon, however, proved it
to be a reality by the good purpose to which he applied the gold
in relieving the wants of his family.

As soon as the cook had cleaned the fish which the vizier had
brought, she put them in a vessel, with some oil, over the fire to
fry. When she thought they were sufficiently one on one side,
she turned them. She had hardly done so when, wonderful to
relate, the wall. of the kitchen appeared to separate, and a beau-
tiful and majestic young damsel came out of the opening. She
was dressed in a satin robe, embroidered with flowers after the
Egyptian manner, and adorned with ear-rings and a necklace of
large pearls, and gold bracelets set with rubies ; she held a rod